WHY I’M TAKING THE FOOD STAMP CHALLENGE Senator Tom Kean Jr. I am proud to be a part of the Food Stamp Challenge this year. I know hunger is present everywhere in New Jersey and that families are suffering, often quietly, from a lack of access to affordable, nutritious food. I am hopeful that my participation will bring, in some small measure, some greater awareness to the problem of hunger and will also generate a renewed commitment from community leaders to legislative leaders to work together to find solutions." Senator Raymond Lesniak and girlfriend Salena Carroll We’re taking the challenge to bring attention to the cuts made in Washington and not restored in Trenton, which make lives extremely difficult for many senior citizens and children and adults who qualify for food stamps. This is an attempt to get support for restoration of support in Washington and in Trenton, because low income families don’t have a voice in DC and Trenton. I can’t imagine having to do this for months or years. It would be almost impossible in my opinion. And it would certainly be unhealthy. It’ll be hard enough to do for one week. I’m thinking peanut butter. It’s affordable and nutritious Assemblywoman Mila Jasey I am participating in the Food Stamp Challenge because it is imperative that we focus on the ongoing problem of poor nutrition and outright hunger that exists right here in New Jersey. The best way to really understand this dire situation, which doesn’t just exist in developing nations, is to experience it first-hand. A recent report indicates that New Jersey has the second poorest record of timely administration of food stamp (SNAP) applications. This could result in suspension of funding for a portion of the $140M cost associated with the program currently subsidized by the federal government. Our commitment to this growing concern will be demonstrated by the participation of not just me, but my staff. We look forward to raising awareness about this issue. Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz As a nurse and legislator, I think this is an opportunity to experience first-hand the challenges people encounter while trying to have nutritious meals with the financial limitations of the food stamp program. I hope to come away from this with a better understanding of the obstacles people face when they have to feed their families on a very limited budget.
Assemblywoman Annette Quijano America is considered the greatest country in the world, yet we continue to struggle to feed our citizens. With 14% of New Jersey’s population considered to be food insecure, and only 55% of that number able to qualify for SNAP, the time is now to find a solution. By participating in the Food Stamp Challenge, I hope to help raise awareness as well as work towards finding an answer to hunger and food insecurity once and for all. Michael Elchoness, vice president, Jewish Family Service of MetroWest; board member, Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ For me, it’s all about awareness. Most people don’t know that problems like this exist in the community. I feel it’s our obligation for those of us who know these problems exist to raise awareness and make sure other people know about them. We get caught up in all sorts of political issues when there are hungry people, and that’s not in line with our value of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and helping others. As my grandmother would have said, it’s a shanda (disgrace). Melanie Levitan, vice president, Jewish Family Service of JFS MetroWest I’m taking the challenge because I do know that hunger is a huge problem in the country, and our area, which has so much wealth and abundance, also has so many people who don’t have enough to eat. It’s shocking. We had a very bad time from the economy; there’s a whole level of people who are not fine and are not back from that. My main purpose is to increase awareness in the community both in terms of people taking action to get laws changed, help food banks and food kitchens, and feel more empathy for people who aren’t as fortunate. Suzy Berman, coordinator of volunteers, Jewish Family Service of MetroWest Several of my clients are on food stamps and I see their struggle on a daily basis. Social workers are taught to put themselves in their clients’ shoes. This challenge will force me to experience struggles that my clients encounter on a daily basis. I hope that it will help me to only better understand my clients’ circumstances and to help guide them in making more nutritious choices on a low budget. Ideally, the Food Stamp Challenge will encourage government leaders to witness the struggles individuals and families face and to deter cuts to programs, such as SNAP.
Patricia Morris, clinical supervisor, Jewish Family Service of MetroWest I think that poverty and hunger are severe problems that should not exist in our society. It is a human right to have an affordable nutritious diet. I am taking the challenge to better understand on a gut level what it would be like to lack sufficient resources to buy food. I hope what I learn will prompt me to continue to advocate for those who are facing financial hardship. I would like to see the Food Stamp Challenge raise general awareness that results in legislation and programs that seriously address this problem. It’s all part of tikkun olam (repairing the world)